


Outfoxed

by dillonmania



Category: DCU (Comics), The Flash (Comics)
Genre: Birthdays, Gen, Surprises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:27:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26336401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dillonmania/pseuds/dillonmania
Summary: Maybe Axel's better at this gig than he looks.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 21





	Outfoxed

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Swashbuckler](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swashbuckler/gifts).



> Happy birthday!

“You wretched little brat!” James hollered as he pursued the younger boy down the street. “Gimme back my fart bomb!”

“Can’t catch me, old man,” gloated Axel as he dodged passersby, parking meters, and the occasional squirrel. “Maybe it’s time to retire and let new blood take over, y’know? Someone who’s not due for a pension any day now.”

“I’m only thirty-seven!!” James shrieked back with extreme indignation. But there was some truth in the taunts; he was certain he would have easily caught up to the kid only a few years ago, and yet here he was lagging well behind. It was embarrassing, and kind of proved Axel’s point. How was he supposed to stay three steps ahead of a speedster if he couldn’t even keep up with a short-legged teenager?

“Too slow,” Axel chortled riotously when he ran up the side of a building and noticed his predecessor wheezing a bit. He ran around balconies, waving cheekily at the people inside to annoy James even further, and made a beeline for a window that had been conveniently left open. He hurriedly jumped inside.

For his part, James was beginning to flag somewhat and wondered if it was time to give up the chase and just make a new bomb…it had to be easier than catching the kid. But Axel’s mischievous waving and grinning had the desired effect of making him angry, and he was _not_ going to let the younger Trickster have a win to make some damned point. He gritted his teeth to speed up and was so intent on catching him that he didn’t notice that maybe Axel was leading him somewhere—

“Surprise!” many voices shouted as James leapt in through the window. He was startled into dropping his bubble gun, and a slinky fell out of his cape as he gaped in shock at the Rogues’ smiling faces and streaming confetti.

“Happy birthday, mate!” Digger cheered tipsily and swayed awkwardly against Mick.

“How did…how did you know?” James asked in disbelief, and Hartley laughed.

“We do keep track of it, you know. Or I do, at least. Mark swears your birthday is on April 1st for some reason.”

“It just makes more sense!” Mark protested hotly, though no one was paying attention to him.

Axel squeezed out from the crowd and handed James his stolen fart bomb and an unopened can of beer. He looked a bit sheepish and grinned nervously at his predecessor, the man he still hoped would become his mentor someday. “Sorry about that stuff back there, it was all part of the trick. No hard feelings?”

It was actually rather impressive that he’d been fooled and never saw the surprise party coming, and James had to smile at the kid. Maybe he really did show some promise as a genuine Trickster. “Nope, none at all.”


End file.
